


On Call

by baekjuhos



Category: SF9 (Band)
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, M/M, also its medical, jaeyoon is a doc lmfao..., juho is an overworked underappreciated nurse, this is a failed form of enemies to lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:00:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23447422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baekjuhos/pseuds/baekjuhos
Summary: Jaeyoon is a cocky doctor and Juho doesn't like it one bit.
Relationships: Baek Juho | Zuho/Lee Jaeyoon
Comments: 8
Kudos: 30





	On Call

**Author's Note:**

> please note that this contains medical content such as surgeries and emergencies

It was too early. Juho had his face buried in his hands as he listened to the head nurse. It was the same thing he announced every day, he asked the same questions every day. They were collectively overworked but the hospital administration wouldn't hear any of it. They had about forty long term sick colleagues and quite a few had already handed in their resignations. Juho had covered for most of the open on call duties but he was already reaching his limit. He massaged his temples as the head nurse announced yet another unstaffed on call duty as well as a call out duty. Automatically, the heads turned towards Juho, who dropped his hands from his head. 

He couldn't believe them. Juho had a life, too. 

"Juho, if you take over the shift on Saturday, you can have Monday  _ and _ Tuesday off." The head nurse was begging him silently to take the shift, his eyes were desperately staring at him. Juho let out a designated sigh. "Fine. I'll do it." 

His day couldn't have gotten any worse, Juho thought, if he hadn't run past the most annoying doctor he ever had to work with. Lee Jaeyoon. Just seeing his stupid face made Juho angry, just hearing his name was enough to make his blood boil. 

Jaeyoon had barely been working in the OR for about two years. He was getting slowly by but he was annoying Juho, a lot. His mere existence was already bothering the nurse. So naturally, when Jaeyoon sing sang a "Good morning to you too, bitch face" towards Juho, who was already way past the doctor, he snapped. He turned around and was about to let out his entire frustration on said doctor, if his colleague hadn't pulled him back towards the changing rooms. 

Juho was fuming. He just hoped he didn't have to work with him. 

Once Juho was engulfed in his work, he forgot almost everything. Except that he was tired and it was making him a little slower than usual. To top it off, he had gotten a nurse student, who he was supposed to train. He usually did it wholeheartedly, but he wasn't in the right state of mind today. He had watched the student prepare the medication, infusion and ventilator. Juho prepared an arterial catheter. 

"Have you ever prepared a CVC table?" he asked the nurse student. She shook her head and beamed at him in excitement when he told her, that she'd do it now then. Under his instruction of course. 

They were still waiting for the patient as Juho showed her how to wear sterile gloves without making them unsterile. She was a quick learner. 

"You have to pull the corners towards the table, but try not to touch anything with it. Yes, just like that. Now I'll give you the CVC set and you can start de-airing it. Since it's a four luminal catheter, you need a fourth three-way valve." 

She nodded and as she sorted the utensils, Juho poured water into a small cup. Once he was done, the student held out a bigger cup, half of it was filled with sterile swabs. He was about to pour in disinfection when the door to the induction room opened. 

The student's eyes lit up and Juho assumed she was smiling behind her mask. He hoped that she was smiling because they had a nice doctor. 

His hopes were crushed when an all too familiar voice rang through the room and draped his arm around Juho's shoulder. 

"Good morning, Yoonie!" the student excitedly exclaimed as she accepted the disinfectant. 

"Good Morning, Mel!" Jaeyoon brightly replied. He wasn't bothered when Juho roughly pushed his arm off his shoulder.

"Don't touch me." Juho growled as he put the disinfectant away. He kept his distance towards the doctor while he checked what the student prepared once more. He heard Jaeyoon mock him, which annoyed Juho even more, especially because he heard the student snicker. 

She was talking with Jaeyoon when the patient got pushed in. They were discussing silently about what procedure they'd do. 

Jaeyoon might be a doctor, but Juho's experience was unbeatable. Young doctors, like Jaeyoon's friends, all seeked his help if they had questions. Unlike them, though, Jaeyoon thought he was the best, that he was something akin to a god because he was pushed by the attendings. Just because they had made him learn cardio-anaesthesia in his first year as a resident. Juho despised him. He didn't like his attitude, nor the way he was talking like nurses were his servants. 

Somehow, it was just him who had that image of him. Maybe Jaeyoon was nice to everyone else, maybe it was Juho whom he really despised. He didn't know. He just wanted to get over with this day. 

Juho had held himself quite in the background as he wanted the student to learn and do as much as she could. "Oh, child work isn't legal Juho. Stop making Mel do all the work for you. Lazy idiot." 

Juho's eye twitched in annoyance but he didn't move a single muscle, back leaned against the counter with his arms crossed. The student pretended not to have heard it and continued her work. Once they were in the operating room, Juho sent the young girl out and told her to take a break. At first, she had refused but once she saw how serious he was, she cowered away into the break room. 

So Juho was standing there, next to Jaeyoon who was writing his protocol. Juho watched the monitor, the blood pressure was quite low. Instinctively, he had let the drip flow faster, connecting the fast heart rate and low pressure to hypovolemia. 

Jaeyoon peeked up when he heard the monitor blare yet another alarm. He focused on the blood pressure and had held out the medication towards Juho. Juho didn't see it, though, as he was now facing the doctor with his back. He was too busy with drawing a blood gas sample. 

Jaeyoon didn't like it, he hated it when he had to repeat things or his colleagues didn't understand what he wanted right away. 

Juho was straightening up while flushing the arterial catheter and Jaeyoon gave him a light kick at his calves. 

Juho nearly fell over, disconnecting the tube from the breathing hose. "What the fuck?!" he hissed as he scrambled to connect the tube again while the machine started blasting an apnoea alarm. 

Jaeyoon scoffed. "You really can't tell me that you've been working here for years if you can't even draw a bga while checking the monitor." Jaeyoon got up and pushed Juho slightly away to give the patient something against the hypotension. Meanwhile, Juho was squeezing the blood sample in his hand in anger. He tried to calm himself down but the second he realised he couldn't, he stormed out of the OR and past his colleagues, who were greeting him, towards the fast track lab. 

In the end, the patient had a pretty low hb. The surgeons hadn't told them that they might or might not have scratched an arteria and had caused a massive blood loss. 

Juho, even if he hated it, had sent the student out to do the run-around work. At the end of the surgery the patient had gotten about twenty units of blood. Even if they despised each other, Jaeyoon and Juho made it work during critical moments. After all, the two had to stay professional. 

Jaeyoon had made Juho run around more than it was necessary. He knew he shouldn't bother the nurse to the extent he does but he enjoyed seeing Juho explode, in a twisted way. Jaeyoon wasn't a mean person, not at all. From the beginning he had been told to be nice to his nurse co-workers because with them, the work stood and fell. They weren't wrong. He was also told that he should get on the good side with certain nurses and Juho was one of them. He was young but fairly respected by everyone. He had a broad knowledge about anaesthesia and generally medicine that even freshly graduated doctors seeked his advice. 

Jaeyoon had taken it serious, at first. He did get on everyone's good side- except Juho's. It was hard for him, they hadn't worked much at the beginning. And once they did, Jaeyoon just couldn't resist the temptation to annoy him. He had been told that Juho was an extremely patient person unless you made a mess on purpose. Jaeyoon at first had started it as a joke, but now the mere presence of the male annoyed him. He did think he had put in effort to get to know him, even if it was through teasing. 

He hated how Juho behaved like he was better just because he had been working longer in the field. He hated how entitled Juho behaved. Jaeyoon didn't need to prove himself, he had already the blessing of his attendings and that's all that mattered to him. Plus, the other nurses liked him too. 

Jaeyoon did admit that he maybe shouldn't have kicked Juho, but he was angry. Angry because Juho didn't talk it out with him and instead took action on his own. At the end of the day, it was Jaeyoon who had to justify everything- not Juho. At least that's what he thought. 

They had stabilised the patient and the surgery came to an end. The patient was transferred to the post anaesthesia room without further complications. Juho had let the student do the transportation on her own with Jaeyoon, which the young doctor didn't mind. At least the student was friendly and knew how to take a joke, unlike Juho. Despite his age, Jaeyoon found him to be too stiff. He had expected him to be a little more on the loose end, considering Juho was younger by two years. He never had been so wrong in his life before. 

On the way back, he overheard him talking to Seokwoo, a med student currently doing his practical year. From what Jaeyoon knew, they were pretty close. 

"He's  _ so _ annoying, Woo. Just hearing his name makes me want to strangle myself." The tall man had a hand on his shoulder, in sympathy. "Look, he isn't as bad as you think. Just give him a chance, yeah? I'm telling you he's really funny and nice." 

Juho had shot him a disapproving glare. "He  _ kicked _ me. He kicked me for  _ no _ reason, Seokwoo." Jaeyoon heard the taller let out a sigh. He didn't want to hear how terrible he was so he stepped in, getting in between the two males. He draped his arms around each of their necks. "Maybe you should tell him also about why I kicked you? Like maybe how you didn't really talk to me despite seeing a critical situation and doing your own thing?" Jaeyoon shot Juho a dimply, bright smile. Oh, how he loved seeing Juho fume. 

He felt Juho stiffen under his arm and his face had darkened visibly. Without another word, Juho had sped off. Jaeyoon could hear him curse under his breath. 

"Jaeyoon, maybe you should take a step back and.. give him some space. He's been working a lot lately-" Seokwoo had started but Jaeyoon cut him off. "No offense, honey, but I work just as much. You don't see me going around being an asshole to everyone." Jaeyoon shut him up with a glare before he stalked off towards his next patient. Seokwoo just let out a sigh while shaking his head. He really didn't want to stand between the two. 

The days to Saturday passed in a whim and Juho dreaded his twenty-four hours shift. He had seen the doctors in duty and he prayed to the higher might that he wouldn't be stuck with  _ him _ . 

Instead of showing goodwill for that Juho had filled in, he wasn't allowed to choose the pager- and therefore the department- he wanted. On top of that, they talked him into taking two pagers at once, the cardiologic emergency and trauma room pager. 

Luck just wasn't on his side these days as the trauma room pager went off while the others were still sitting in the break room, sipping their coffee in peace. 

Juho had arrived almost immediately the second his pager had went off. The only information he had was that a young woman had been involved in a car crash. No ABCD or E problem. He still pulled out the prepared tray with emergency medication and gratefully accepted the opioids. Juho was joking around with his colleagues of the ER. He hadn't noticed any of the doctors walking in. 

"Thanks for the present Jjuongie, by the way. It was so adorable!" 

Juho just smiled, his eyes crinkling into crescents as he patted the nurse's arm. "It's nothing. It was a special day, so that was the least I could've done." 

"You never give me any presents,  _ Jjuongie _ . We've been working together for such a long time though." Jaeyoon's friendly voice cut in, his eyes glistening with mischief. Juho did his best to hide his annoyance. His co-workers laughed and clapped Juho on the shoulder. "Ju, you usually gift every new colleague something!" 

At that, Jaeyoon's face fell for a split second. He hadn't gotten a gift. Before he could say something else, the door to the trauma room slid open and the patient was brought in. 

The first examination had went pretty well and they were wheeling the patient towards the CT. The cardiologic emergency pager went off and Juho let out a sigh. Juho immediately searched for a phone to call the number on the pager back but Jaeyoon took a hold of his wrist. "What are you doing? We aren't done with the trauma room yet." Juho stared at him with disbelief. "So? Tell that the hospital administration. We are short staffed and I had to take two pagers." He ripped his wrist free of Jaeyoon's grasp. 

Juho asked one of the ER nurses for a phone, which they gladly handed him. If it truly was a cardiologic emergency, he had already wasted five minutes. Five minutes that were crucial. The second he called back, the leading attending of the shift yelled at him. "What the hell are you thinking Juho! There's a dissection coming in and you're nowhere in sight. Male, 70 years old. Take Jaeyoon with you. The other on duty doctor doesn't have enough experience for this emergency. He will take over your trauma room. OR 7. Go. Now." Juho didn't have time to defend himself. He let out a sigh and pulled Jaeyoon away from the stretcher, who was opening his mouth to complain. This time, Juho didn't give him a chance to do so as he yelled in an apology into the CT room and pulled Jaeyoon with him. "OR 7, dissection. We're already late because you decided to stop me from taking that pager." The second he finished his sentence, Juho started to run and Jaeyoon followed him. 

They didn't change into fresh gowns but rushed straight into the OR instead. Juho was assembling the entire equipment as fast as he could while Jaeyoon had rushed to prepare the CVC table. From the outside, it looked like the two were a routined, well playing team. They danced around each other so none of them was obstructed during their work. Juho had just finished preparing the last perfusor syringe and as he had put in the data he knew of the patient, the OR doors slid open. The surgical team was desperately trying to stabilise the patient. He had slipped into ventricular fibrillation- and had not been intubated. Jaeyoon cursed under his breath, Juho hadn't had enough time to prepare the airway management yet. Jaeyoon was stressed and did the next best thing. He yelled at Juho to work faster. "If he dies, Juho, it's on you!" He half hissed, half yelled at him as he started to applicate the medications while the OR team poured half sterile disinfectant onto the chest of the man. 

Juho had rushed with the airway management to Jaeyoon and shoved the laryngoscope into his hand, the scrubbed in nurse already handing the saw to the surgeon. 

The external defibrillation paddles were shocking the patient, trying to get him into a sinus rhythm. They all knew it was to no avail if the aortic arch had been dissected. They had to get the patient to the heart lung machine, and that fast. 

"No, Jaeyoon. If this man dies, it's on you. You cost me precious minutes. Not on me. Not on the surgeons. Not on the surgical nurses. Solely on you." Juho had whispered calmly to him as he handed him the tube. The shocks made it hard for Jaeyoon to see the epiglottis but he still managed to maneuver the tube into the trachea. He frowned behind his facial mask as Juho blocked the tube and connected the ventilator. He had gotten to place another large-bored pvc. It was hard, considering there was barely circulation. He still managed it, until Jaeyoon barked at him to place the arterial catheter while he tried to shove in a CVC- both proving to be a challenge considering they still had no blood flow. Jaeyoon and Juho were semi sterile as they tried to get their catheters laid. The OR door slid open, revealing two attendings with three residents. Juho had somehow, he didn't know how and when, placed the arterial catheter into the brachialis. He connected it to the monitor and immediately grabbed the circulating nurses phone to get blood conserves. He ran back and ripped open a pack of a pulmonary arterial catheter and dropped it semi-sterile onto the sterile table for Jaeyoon to grab. Without wasting another second, Jaeyoon swiftly placed the PAC and told Juho in the same breath to get some more fluids as well as albumins. 

Juho needed someone to help him out, someone who would do the running for him. He couldn't leave the OR, especially not if the patient was unstable like this. So he had no other choice than to push the residents and attendings out, telling them to get the medications and units he needed. The surgeons had long started to try and put the man onto the HLM. They seemed to have troubles, as the leading surgeon let out a muttered curse. 

Juho started preparing the pressure infusion machine for the conserves he was waiting for. At the same time, he squeezed the fluids connected to the CVC, imitating a pressure bag. Jaeyoon tried to stabilize the blood with the medications he had, to no avail. He needed the conserves and that fast. Juho saw the resident slowly walking towards the ER with the conserves in his hand, which was the last straw for him. Jaeyoon just saw him stalk off the OR and race towards the unsuspecting male. He didn't pay much attention to it until he heard Juho rip the units out and slap them onto the now half clean table Jaeyoon had used previously. 

"Check the fucking numbers. And don't- don't you say anything right now or else, you'll feel my wrath." Juho had spit out, going back to hanging up the albumins. While Jaeyoon was comparing the labels and waiting for the bedside test to be done, Juho was up and on to prepare the IOS. It was tedious work. His back was facing the patient, ventilator and Jaeyoon. He only heard the penetrating sound of the ventilator blaring and turned around, with the first hose ready in his hand. His attention quickly was on the tube in the patient's throat, red liquid was going up all the way towards the filter connected between the breathing hose and tube. Juho slammed the hose into the machine and pushed Jaeyoon to start suctioning through the tube while he searched for a tube extension. For the first time, Jaeyoon felt panic rise. The words Juho had said were suddenly haunting him while he shoved the biggest suctioning catheter through the tube. Juho turned off the apnoea alarm while he handed Jaeyoon the extension. It allowed them to ventilate the patient while they suctioned through the tube. Juho organised a second suction with a large bore hose. Automatically, he placed himself at the head next to Jaeyoon and held the suction as deep as he could into the unconscious man's throat. Within five minutes, they had sucked out about three litre of blood and that only from the lungs. "Fuck! Where is everyone when you need them the most?!" Jaeyoon said. Juho saw a new grad nurse run in. "Get me the bronchoscope, right now Kyun. You know which one I mean, right? The small one and the large one."

Juho gave him a strained smile all the whilst he continued holding the suction deep into the man's throat. "Give me the hose and please, just. Just go and change the drips and units." Jaeyoon had, like he said, taken over from Juho and was now holding two suctions. Every now and then, he told Juho to give the patient blood pressure stabilising medication in one go. He did as he was told. He kept an eye on the door and the second he saw Youngkyun practically fly in with the hard airway management vehicle, he dropped everything. He pulled the vehicle over, delegating the IV drips and units to him. In record time, Juho had set up the bronchoscope equipment and handed it to Jaeyoon. The suction was already connected to it. His back hurt but he couldn't stop now. 

Jaeyoon led the small bronchoscope through the extension and tube. "I can't see anything!" He exclaimed angrily, to no one in particular. Juho was now holding the large bore suction even deeper until he saw it on the small screen Jaeyoon was looking at. 

Youngkyun was flying around, trying to gather as many fluids as he could. Jaeyoon was frustrated. There wasn't anything wrong with the lungs themselves- and his suspicions were confirmed when the assisting surgeon spoke up. She was barely audible through the chaotic and frantic yells and blaring of the machines. "Not only the aorta dissected, but also the pulmonary trunc. We can't control the bleeding as we would like to but he's already attached to the HLM." 

Juho had never seen Jaeyoon this frustrated. The older had his eyebrows drawn together in anger as he pulled the small bronchoscope out. Juho took it silently from him and was about to wheel the cart back when Jaeyoon yelled at him. "What do you think you're doing?! Give me the damn thicker bronchoscope! Can't believe I have to work with someone as  _ incompetent  _ as you!" Juho's vein popped up, clearly visible on his temple, as he tried to control his own anger while he prepared the thicker device. Jaeyoon ripped it out of his hands and Juho connected this time the large bored suction. Youngkyun, poor guy, wanted to ask Juho something regarding the IOS that was still waiting to be attached but the second he had spoken out "Juho, I have a question-", Juho turned to him and yelled straight into his face. " _ Not fucking now _ , Kyun!" Juho repeatedly closed and opened his fist in fury while he pushed another I.V drip as well as blood conserve into the young nurse's hand. 

Juho would've felt guilty, if he had time to think about it. Youngkyun just did as he was told and didn't open his mouth for the rest of his shift. 

Youngkyun's shift ended approximately three hours into the emergency. Juho had pushed the trauma room pager into the baffled nurse's hand and had told him to give it someone else. He was currently too occupied with his current patient. 

They were alone again. Jaeyoon was beyond furious, knowing that his attendings were watching from the door, showcasing the situation to the new residents without lifting a finger to help him. They saw how he was starting to struggle. They saw that no other nurse was there to help out Juho, to help  _ him _ out.

It took them hours to stabilize the man. The surgeons had managed to flick the pulmonary trunc. Jaeyoon had, in the meantime, ordered about forty conserves on top. The situation had somewhat calmed down and Jaeyoon started to write the anaesthesia protocol. Juho was counting the used infusion bottles and human albumin. It was the first time in about six hours Jaeyoon was sitting down. He, even though he hated to admit it, felt a little bad for the nurse. Juho hadn't sat in a way longer time than him. "Here are sixty drips. Three HES and" there was a small pause. "And thirty albumin bottles." 

Jaeyoon was dutifully jotting everything down. Juho had placed multiple continuation protocols onto the ventilator's desk. Jaeyoon silently thanked him. The nurse was facing him with his back once more. Juho had his arms propped up on his anaesthesia cart, trying to relieve the weight from his aching legs just a little. Jaeyoon casted worried glances towards him every few seconds but pretended not to care. He wasn't about to give in towards Juho. "Jaeyoon, you did well. Go and take a break." Juho and Jaeyoon simultaneous looked up into the attending's face. "I didn't finish the protocol yet." The attending rolled his eyes. "Go and take a coffee break, nurse Baek is here. He can tell me what you did."

Juho ignored the implication that he hadn't lifted a finger the entire time. 

Jaeyoon had tried to stall, at least for until someone came to cover for Juho but it seemed like he had no chance. He left, making his way towards the break room without uttering another word. On the way to the break room, he had set an alarm for 15 minutes. Jaeyoon was tired, so tired he almost immediately fell asleep. 

Juho was envious. He was waiting for one of the late shift nurses to cover for him. He just wanted to stretch his feet out, even if it was just for five minutes. "It's okay. I can write it down." At least like that, he could sit. That's what Juho had thought. He had expected the attending to make space for him but instead, he stayed put on his seat and rolled side-ways. Juho had to stand, bending his back in an uncomfortable position as he filled out the squared paper. He hated this shift.  _ It can't get worse _ , Juho thought but boy was he wrong. About ten minutes in, and the attending suddenly started to scold him. 

"Juho, I know you have been covering many shifts lately. You're overworked, I get that. But why, for God's sake, are you taking not one but two pagers? And on top of that the trauma and cardiac ones?" Juho looked up from the paper he was writing, straight down into the attending's face. He was too tired to argue so he let the man just belittle him for now. "Do you think you're some kind of untouchable god? If this man dies, Juho, what will you do? Will you go and hold the conversation with his family, huh? Because at the end of the day, you get to walk away and sleep peacefully while Jaeyoon will have to deal with the aftermath."

So that's why he had sent Jaeyoon into the break. To pin the whole ordeal on Juho. He diverted his gaze back onto the papers "I don't know why you don't like him, but don't think I'm stupid. You might fool others but not me. You're nothing special, Juho. Don't forget that. Everyone here's replaceable, but people like Jaeyoon are rare." Juho stopped writing once more, the underlying threat was unmistakably clear. He felt invalidated, like all the sweat and tears he poured into his work meant nothing. The door to the operating room slid open, revealing the young doctor pulling his face mask back up and walking in. 

Juho hadn't noticed the attending walking out, neither did he notice the ink of the pen tainting the paper where he had stopped writing. He hadn't noticed Jaeyoon casting him a worried glance. Only when Jaeyoon had cleared his throat and pushed the stool towards him, did Juho snap out of it. He glared with malice at Jaeyoon as he slammed the pen onto the protocol. Jaeyoon, who hadn't heard any of what the attending had said, just looked at Juho in confusion for a split second before it was replaced by anger. 

"What? You can't deal with your problems so you send your fucking attending to me?" Juho was close, so close to the point their masked noses were almost touching. The anger and hurt glistened in his dark brown orbs. Jaeyoon wasn't going to let this accusation sit on him. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about, moron. I was trying to be nice." Juho snorted. "You? You wouldn't know what it means to be nice even if you had a guide for it." Jaeyoon could see how Juho scrunched his nose in disgust behind the mask. 

Without waiting for Jaeyoon's answer, he angrily rushed out the OR. Jaeyoon let out a tiny laugh in disbelief as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "What the fuck was that." He exclaimed to no one in particular.

"I don't mean to butt in but uh.." The circulating nurse had approached Jaeyoon. "Like, I don't know what happened before the attending came in but.." She leaned in, whispering into Jaeyoon's ear what had happened. He just stared at her, wide eyed. "So yeah, that wasn't very nice. I didn't think you'd be that kind of person, Jaeyoon." 

It was the first time someone expressed disappointment towards him at work. "But I didn't even do anything. Why does everyone assume I went ahead and… and just.. I didn't tell anyone anything?" She just shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know about that. I mean, the words weren't directed at me but they really hurt me, in a weird way. And knowing how hard working Jju is…" she didn't finish her sentence, the scrubbed in nurse was asking for another device. 

Juho didn't return for ten minutes. Usually, Jaeyoon wouldn't have minded but in this case, ten minutes felt like ten hours. He impatiently tapped his fingers on the ventilator's desk, keeping an eye on the door while he watched the monitors. The second Juho walked back in, Jaeyoon got up and picked the bronchoscope up. Juho wordlessly assisted Jaeyoon, holding the device at the extension steady so Jaeyoon could fully concentrate on getting every corner and turn of the lungs. 

Juho's pager started blaring again, and even then the nurse hadn't let out a single sound. He seemed to be lost in his own thoughts as he dialed the number. Juho prayed that he wasn't getting another cardiac emergency. 

"Hey Juho. I know you didn't take a break yet and I know you've been working for the past twenty hours but can you maybe go and cover for OR 8 too? She should take a break at least-" 

Juho was at the brink of tears. This was by far his worst on call duty in years. He didn't reply for a few seconds. The distributor apparently thought that Juho wasn't there. "Hello? Juho? I asked you-" The young male hieved a sigh. "I can't. Ask bulldozer or, I don't know. Anyone else who's currently on duty. I'm stuck with an emergency. And while we're at it, I'm going to leave an hour earlier. Since I didn't take a break." 

He didn't wait for an answer and ended the call. Without another word, he made his way to Jaeyoon. He crouched down, resting his back against the wall. 

Without uttering another word, Juho waited for his shift to be over. He was tired and the fatigue made his bones heavy. The clock struck seven a.m and Juho still was waiting for someone to take over. Jaeyoon pitied the man. The surgeons had patched the dissected vessels up and it was about time for Jaeyoon and Juho to warm the patient up, again. "Sit here. And please, for once, don't fight back. Just sit down." Jaeyoon said as he pulled Juho up from the floor. He couldn't watch the nurse crouching against the wall, half asleep. He didn't say anything as Juho had sat down. He let out a small and silent "Thank you." 

Jaeyoon wasn't used to seeing an upset and silent Juho. That version of him was scarier than the one who kept fighting with him. He caught Juho watching the clock more than once. He couldn't blame the nurse. 

By the time Juho's replacement came, it was eight a.m. His shift usually ended at seven a.m and he was supposed to get out by six a.m.  _ That worked out well, _ Juho bitterly noted to himself. Jaeyoon's replacement came half an hour later. He had expected the nurse to be long gone but was taken aback when he heard silent crying sounds. 

At this hour, the locker room was usually empty. Unless you were on the twenty four hour shift. 

Jaeyoon's locker was close to Juho's. And when he peeked around the corner, he saw the nurse in a crouched position on one of the benches. He had buried his face in his hands, every now and then silent sobs leaving his throat. The male had already changed into his private clothes and Jaeyoon had to admit- his fashion sense was a little questionable yet it looked good on him. 

Jaeyoon's socks were slippery and- as if god had intended it to happen- he slipped up. He tried to keep his balance but ended up falling against Juho, who in return, tried to hold himself up. Jaeyoon was staring at the tear stricken face of the male in front of him, who was staring back at him in shock. Instead of apologising or saying comforting words, Jaeyoon dropped "You look even uglier when you cry." which earned him an angry growl and a fist square into his face.

That was the last time he had worked with Juho. Jaeyoon didn't know if it was on purpose or not. He shouldn't even think about it. He couldn't stand Juho's attitude, anyway. 

The curiosity got the better of him one day, though. It had been about four months he had seen Juho the last time. It was like the male had disappeared from Earth's surface.

Jaeyoon was currently sitting in one of the ORs, supervising a plastic surgery. He swirled around on his stool out of boredom. To the question of where Juho was, he just got the curt reply of "He's sick." 

The nurses weren't on good terms with the doctors lately. Specifically with the attendings and department director. They were understaffed to the point many couldn't take their respective breaks. It seemed like the last shift of Juho had made them all snap. Even if the residents hadn't contributed to it, the nurses were treating them like an enemy as well. 

He just hoped for it to get resolved quickly, knowing their boss could be a nuisance. 

And indeed, he saw Juho back at work again. He was as straight faced as ever, an angry look in his eyes. Jaeyoon opened his mouth to greet him but instead, Juho cut him off. "Shut the fuck up before you regret even looking at me." 

Something inside Jaeyoon snapped. He pushed Juho into the fast track lab and slammed the door shut behind him. He did think he had been patient with Juho for quite a bit. 

The nurse seemed unfazed. He stared the doctor down, not wavering a single bit even when Jaeyoon trapped him between the wall and his body. "What the fuck is your problem, Baek Juho?" he gritted out, fiercely staring Juho down. Juho eyed Jaeyoon up and down, once. Then he jabbed Jaeyoon's shoulder, hard. "You are my problem. You and no one else." 

Jaeyoon laughed out, he was amazed. "I'm the problem? When you squared me in the face? You're something else, Baek Juho." 

Juho didn't even bother responding. He took a step to the side, attempting to walk away but Jaeyoon blocked his path. "I don't know what goes on in your pretty head" Jaeyoon tapped Juho's forehead twice, "but whatever image you have of me clearly is wrong." Juho slapped Jaeyoon's hand away. "You prove it to be right every damn day, doctor Lee." He spat, never breaking eye contact with Jaeyoon. "Now, if you would excuse me. I have to go and actually work. Since I don't have anyone's ass I can crawl up to." Juho pushed past Jaeyoon but the older wouldn't let go of what the nurse said. He harshly grabbed Juho's wrist and pulled him back, pushing him against the wall this time with force. Juho let out a surprised sound before he composed himself again. "What the fuck-" He started but Jaeyoon cut him off. Juho had never seen the doctor this hurt, not that he cared.

"Take that back." Jaeyoon was pressing his chest against Juho's, unconsciously. He was too close and Juho started to get uncomfortable. "Take what back? The truth?" Jaeyoon looked like he was the one to square Juho up this time, repeatedly flexing his fist. "I've worked hard to be where I am right now, so don't you fucking dare belittle that." Jaeyoon's voice was calm. It didn't match the anger in his face. Juho just rolled his eyes as he pushed Jaeyoon's chest. He didn't move a single bit and Juho was embarrassed to admit that the doctor might be a bit stronger than him. 

"You're not the only one who works hard, don't  _ you _ dare forget that." It happened within milliseconds, Juho had barely time to register it. 

Jaeyoon had striked out and plastered his fist into the wall, mere inches away from Juho's face. Juho stared at the fist practically embedded into the wall next to his face in shock and surprise. 

"You're so fucking entitled, it's impossible to-" Jaeyoon yelled into his face without registering his bleeding fist. Juho didn't think about what he was doing but took a hold of the older's wrist and pulled it off the wall. He examined the knuckles, interrupting Jaeyoon's outburst. "You're bleeding, you fucking moron." 

Jaeyoon blinked in confusion, his anger disappear within seconds. The calm aura Juho radiated all of a sudden had made his anger dissolve. Jaeyoon didn't get it, not that Juho did, either. He quickly bandaged Jaeyoon's hand up and let go of his hand, quickly. Juho glanced at the hole in the wall and cleared his throat awkwardly. "Anyways. You know how to tend to small wounds so. Don't bother me again." He pushed past Jaeyoon and left the tiny lab, although the previous fierceness had disappeared. 

Jaeyoon was so confused about what just happened. They were about to strangle each other and then Juho just- and he himself just-  _ And what the fuck _ , Jaeyoon thought.

Juho hated being alone with Jaeyoon. At first, it was because he couldn't stand the older male. Now he just felt awkward around him. Judging from Jaeyoon's behaviour, it was easy to tell that he felt the same. 

"So, are you going to attend the Christmas party our beloved department director is holding?" Youngkyun asked into the round. It was one of the rare times the nurses could have breakfast together. "Maybe, I'm not sure. You heard what she said during our morning meeting this morning."

Juho agreed, though he really wanted to make use of the free drinks. "I'm gonna go, I don't get to drink alcohol for free all the time now, do I?" It earned him a round of laughter. 

The Christmas party was about a week away. The clinic director organised and paid for it every year as a thank you for the hard work the entire department was displaying. Lately, she also invented some kind of awards she was giving away. They were usually just for the doctors. Juho was already thinking about the amount of drinks he would be having. 

Juho was currently carrying some laryngoscope blades to fill up his cart when he heard someone half whisper "No, no you don't understand Seongie! I don't like him at all. But I also find him hot when he's angry. Do you feel what I'm saying?" Juho heard Inseong let out an amused snort. "No, I really don't know what you're saying Jjaeng. Have you, you know, tried to talk to him like a civil person?" Juho had rounded the corner and the second he saw who Inseong was talking to, his jaw dropped in shock. "Oh God, Inseong. Juho's a bitch, you can't have a simple conversation unless you're either god or not me." Jaeyoon exclaimed. The two were standing in the section where the surgeons scrubbed in. Juho should've just continued walking but instead, he dropped the blades he was holding. Inseong was currently scrubbing in as he was listening to Jaeyoon's dilemma. 

Juho tried to gather the blades up but a few kept falling down again. Why did he have to bring so many at once. Jaeyoon couldn't move, it was like he was glued to the spot. He stared at Juho, who tried to collect the blades. Jaeyoon could see a tiny hint of a blush on Juho's cheeks. The younger avoided eye contact for whatever it costed him and just by that, Jaeyoon knew the nurse had heard everything. Inseong tried to keep it together, as he found the entire situation entertaining. He had foreshadowed it months ago and he was going to be about two hundred dollars richer soon. He let out a laugh as he quickly walked towards the OR before Jaeyoon or Juho could've decided to make him unsterile. 

Jaeyoon had decided to pretend like he hadn't called Juho hot. He had gotten out of the early shift and was getting ready for the Christmas party. His colleagues all dressed up, so Jaeyoon had no choice other than to take out his tuxedo. He parted his black hair but didn't like the way they sat so he ruffled them up again. After playing with different hairstyles, he decided to style his hair back, revealing his forehead. 

Jaeyoon knew he was going to get wasted and that's why he had taken a taxi. It was a grand location, as always. Jaeyoon took a seat next to his favourite co-workers. 

The atmosphere was casual and the room was filled with chatter. Jaeyoon had coincidentally looked up when Juho walked in and he looked breathtaking. Jaeyoon couldn't take off his eyes of the nurse. He was talking to Youngkyun, intently gesturing with his hands to underline whatever he was talking about. Juho was wearing a simple blazer, dress shirt and fitting pants, which stopped at his ankles as well as dress shoes- all held in black. His dark hair framed his face. Jaeyoon didn't know Juho had grown his hair longer. 

"Go and greet him, instead of creepily staring at him" Seokwoo whispered into his ear, making Jaeyoon jump. He hadn't noticed the younger to appear behind him. He flipped the intern off, in a friendly way. 

Juho was sticking to Youngkyun's side. He was already sipping his second beer when the clinic director had started her long speech about how great the year was, how hard everyone worked and how much they achieved. She then went ahead and dished out the awards for the doctors in the most pompous way. And of course Jaeyoon got one, the rising youngster award. Youngkyun grunted something about how at least Juho should get one too, considering that he had worked at least ¾ of the same cases as Jaeyoon. They all knew she wouldn't give any nurses an award though. 

Juho had gulped his beer down in one go. He asked the waiter for two more beers. Poor man thought the second one was for the nurse sitting next to Juho. He thought wrong. 

By the time the awards and speech were over, Juho was half drunk. He couldn't endure her talking any longer and had gotten up. He excused himself and disappeared through the door. Juho didn't notice the eyes on him, following every step he took. 

At the bar, he asked for something stronger than beer. He waited for his drink to be mixed when an all too familiar voice requested a high percentage beverage, as well. His behaviour was childish, but Juho stared straight ahead even when he felt the eyes of the man next to him bore into his soul. He murmured a quick thanks the second the barista handed him his drink. Juho turned on his heel and made his way out, knowing very well that Jaeyoon was still watching him. Juho needed fresh air or else he was going to suffocate. He blamed it on the alcohol.

Juho was enjoying the cold breeze but at the same time, he regretted leaving without a jacket. He closed his eyes in content as he sipped his drink and rubbed his arm with his free hand in an attempt to warm himself. Juho could've easily walked back in but he wanted to escape the noise for a while. 

His peace was soon disturbed with Jaeyoon walking out. It earned the doctor annoyed eye rolling. Juho didn't pay him any attention- or rather he tried not to, yet Jaeyoon's staring was starting to make him uncomfortable. "Can you stop staring? You got something to say? Then do so-" Jaeyoon bluntly cut Juho off. "You look so good today." Juho choked on his drink and Jaeyoon stared at him with worry. "What the-" Jaeyoon, clearly intoxicated, took a step closer towards Juho. Juho, at the same time, took a step back. He had never realised how muscular Jaeyoon was. The gowns they were wearing were anything but flattering but the tight fitting tuxedo and dress shirt- Juho interrupted his own thoughts by shaking his head. "What are you doing-" Juho barely finished his sentence and Jaeyoon had unbottoned his blazer, coming closer to Juho and draping it around the younger's shoulders. "You're freezing. Don't catch a cold." Juho could smell the alcohol in Jaeyoon's breath. Yes, this was clearly a result of Jaeyoon being drunk. He really wanted to give the jacket back but it surprisingly warmed him. Juho fought with his pride, even in his drunk state.

"I'm not a damsel in distress. Here." Juho gulped his drink down and placed the glass on the floor before he took the blazer off and pushed it into Jaeyoon's hands. Before he left, he picked up his glass and gave Jaeyoon a stinky eye. Oh, how Jaeyoon absolutely loved it. He knew very well that Juho started to feel the same and that's exactly why he hadn't stopped his little, subtle advancements. By the time dinner was served, the two had been absolutely wasted. Jaeyoon was a giggly mess although Juho surprisingly held his alcohol well. Youngkyun had long abandoned Juho, for which the older would never forgive him. Jaeyoon had planted himself in the now free spot next to the nurse, to Juho's dismay. 

Drink after drink arrived at their table and Juho drank without worrying about anything. He let go of everything and truly got wasted like he had intended to. The food was disgusting, he hated unseasoned meals. Apparently, Jaeyoon shared the same opinion and soon, the two were back to drinking. They had lost count of how much they had drunk but Jaeyoon accidentally knocked over Juho's wine glass, resulting in Juho's blazer to be ruined. 

"Man, what the hell!" Juho pushed his chair away in anger. Jaeyoon followed him suit, although he was a little clumsier on his feet. He couldn't hold his alcohol as well as the younger. By the time Jaeyoon had reached the restroom, stumbling over his own feet every now and then, Juho was already scrubbing his blazer frantically. He was grunting under his breathe some insults, with his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. He hadn't noticed Jaeyoon entering, nor had he noticed the doctor standing now super close to him. He only looked up when Jaeyoon circled his fingers around Juho's wrist, taking the damp paper towel from him. He started scrubbing the blazer, leaving Juho completely perplexed for a few moments. Juho was too stunned to do anything other than watch Jaeyoon attempting to clean his ruined shirt and jacket. He soon snapped out of his daze and slapped the older's hand away, putting on a scowl while snatching the towel from the other's fingers. 

"Don't touch me, you've ruined my outfit. Do you even know how expensive this-" Juho couldn't finish his sentence. Jaeyoon had shut him up by leaning in, and at the same time, cornering the nurse against the sink. Juho blinked a few times, completely overwhelmed with the kiss. Jaeyoon's lips were soft, plump and they tasted like cherries. Jaeyoon pulled away slightly. "You nag too much." And leaned back in, seducing Juho to melt into the kiss. Even if the younger would blame it on the alcohol later, Jaeyoon knew that it wasn't true. 

He buried his hands in Juho's soft hair, Juho's hands automatically shooting up to pull Jaeyoon closer by the collar of his blazer. The kiss turned aggressive, both fighting for dominance- or letting out their pent up frustration towards each other. It wasn't easy to tell. Juho was the first to pull back. There was something unreadable in his expression. The two tried to regain their breath, with Jaeyoon leaning close to whisper into Juho's ear. "Stop pretending, I know you like me." Juho could practically hear the smirk and he was close to losing his temper again. He just glared at Jaeyoon, he really hated his insufferable, smug grin. He took a few steps back, leaving a completely flustered Juho behind as the door to the restroom opened. 

Juho thanked God that almost everyone was drunk to the point they wouldn't remember anything the next day. Because he'd have a hard time trying to explain why his as well as Jaeyoon's lips were swollen and red, or why Jaeyoon was straightening his tight fitting blazer and Juho his hair. 

The clock struck close to one a.m and the party was going on full force. Juho was swaying to the beat when he felt hands on his hips. He caught himself anticipating a special someone.  _ It's definitely the alcohol _ , Juho told himself. He still let Jaeyoon guide him to the beat. 

The next morning, Juho woke up with a terrible headache. He hadn't opened his eyes, the sunlight beaming into the room was already hurting his head. He couldn't move, something was lying on top of him. Slowly, he started to take in more of his surroundings. Something warm fanned over Juho's face in a regular rhythm. He opened his eyes slowly, trying to recognise his surroundings. Panic took over him when the first thing he noticed was Jaeyoon's face, mere inches away of his own. The doctor had his arm draped over Juho's torso, a leg thrown over his hip. Jaeyoon was lying half on top of him, making it completely impossible for Juho to move or get away. 

This wasn't his bed, so logically that wasn't his apartment. In conclusion, he must've left with Jaeyoon in his absolutely wasted state. The only thing he remembered was Jaeyoon kissing him in the restroom- and him reciprocating it. Juho let out a tiny squeak when Jaeyoon unconsciously pulled him against his strong, defined chest. 

_ Why- why isn't he wearing a shirt?! _ Juho's mind was racing, the fear was taking over his entire body. Juho couldn't help but let out another squeak when his eyes focused on the hickey on Jaeyoon's cricoid. He pushed Jaeyoon off him, pulling the blanket towards himself and basically falling off the bed onto the floor with a thud. Jaeyoon was roughly woken up by the push, letting out a perplexed and tired "What in God's name-". Juho was trying to hide himself as best as he could with the blanket while Jaeyoon just stared at him in shock. "No no no no no  _ no _ !" Jaeyoon sat up and slapped his hand over his mouth in astonishment. 

They literally stared at each other for a whole of two minutes. Jaeyoon's eyes slowly wandered down Juho's first face then neck and then the rest of his body. Which he tried, but failed, to hide with the blanket. He smirked at the hickeys littered around the nurse's neck. Whatever they did last night, it was wild. And he clearly hadn't been the only one to enjoy it.

Jaeyoon couldn't remember much. All he knew was that he had, kind of, made out with his counterpart in the restroom. Everything after that..He couldn't remember for the sake of it. He crawled towards the end of the bed and got off, dropping right in front of the nurse who was still staring at him. The denial was clear in his eyes.

Jaeyoon reached out and stroked a messy strand out of Juho's eyes. The latter was like rooted to the floor, unable to move a single muscle. He just stared at Jaeyoon, with his sharp, beautiful crescent eyes. Juho wanted to say something but the more he studied Jaeyoon's features, the more he lost his voice. The ringing of Juho's phone pulled him back out of his trance. He scrambled up, completely forgetting the blanket he was holding as he dashed towards the nightstand. 

Jaeyoon's eyes followed every movement of Juho's body, which he silently admired. He long had given up denying that between all the fights and nitpicking, he had fallen for the nurse slowly. 

Juho's shrieking voice made him stand up and move towards the taller. Juho turned around, extending his hand which made Jaeyoon stop dead in his tracks. He cocked his head in confusion. "What- what do you mean there's a picture going around? What kind of a picture?" Jaeyoon had never heard Juho's deep voice crack in a high pitch. 

Jaeyoon got a bad feeling when he saw Juho's face pale. "This can't be happening! Kyun, do something! How am I supposed to show my face-" Juho was gripping his hair and Jaeyoon took this chance to snatch the phone away. He wanted to know why Juho was getting so riled up. 

He couldn't blame the nurse. The picture was quite unflattering, to both of them. The two looked into the camera like deers caught in the light. Jaeyoon was frantically trying to button his shirt up while Juho's dress shirt was completely ruined- Jaeyoon assumed he had ripped the buttons, considering some were lying on the ground. Neither of them remembered what happened but judging by their shocked but also guilty expressions and messy hair, they had been going at each other quite intimately. 

"I think it's a cute picture." Jaeyoon said in an attempt to lighten the mood. It just earned him an angry scowl. "Yeah, you don't have to worry about getting your name dragged through the mud, you fucking moron."

Jaeyoon stepped closer. "Keep that act up and I'm gonna get even hornier. Besides, why would your name even get dishonoured?" He was genuinely confused. It's not like Juho had committed a crime. The way Juho looked at him, like he was from outer space, confused him even more. 

"Yeah,  _ you'll _ get hyped up for dicking a nurse but  _ I _ have to listen to how I'm a golddigger." He let himself fall onto Jaeyoon's bed, rubbing his face in frustration. 

Jaeyoon sat next to him. "Wait, you think we had-" The dimpled smile was full on display. "Oh my God, it doesn't matter what I think we did. Just look at yourself- look at me! How am I supposed to cover all of this up?" Juho groaned, gesturing first towards Jaeyoon's neck and then his own. Indeed, angry red-purpleish marks were screaming against Juho's pale torso. “Make up” Jaeyoon threw out, unhelpfully. When Juho didn’t do anything but reach out to punch him, he cowered away. "Okay, yeah. Calm down. I'll make us some breakfast and get painkillers so-" Jaeyoon was silenced with Juho's finger on his lips. "No, no don't do that. Don't you even think of doing anything remotely close to something domestic-" Jaeyoon smirked against Juho's finger. Boy, how he loved it when Juho was riled up. He pulled the younger closer to him, so their faces were mere millimeters away. Juho blinked a few times. "What are you doing-" Jaeyoon cut him off by leaning even closer. "You nag too much." He said, again, before closing the little gap. Juho was taken aback and without thinking, he started to melt under Jaeyoon's touch. 

In the end, he had craved in and Jaeyoon had dished out delicious food. For now, Juho decided to forget about the picture of the two circulating in their department.

Juho had to use quite a lot of make up to cover up the hickeys. He still didn't really recall what happened at the party and quite frankly, he didn't want to know either. He knew he was going to die out of embarrassment for his behaviour. The second Juho stepped into the meeting room, heads turned to him. He had expected it but Juho was still uncomfortable. Pretending not to notice, he seated himself next to Youngkyun. Juho stared straight ahead as he raised his hand. "Don't you dare say anything, Kyun. Don't. Just don't." He heard the young nurse snicker. Not even three minutes passed in silence before it was broken again. "So you hate Dr. Lee, huh." Juho glared at Youngkyun. The latter knew, if looks could kill, he'd have been dead the second he had started his sentence. 

"Who even took the picture?" Jaeyoon asked. He had been greeted by whistles and high fives, his question was at first ignored. They were sitting in the same meeting room the nurses used before them. He had tried to catch Juho but the nurse just gave him a warning glare. Jaeyoon on the other hand was now trying to find the culprit who had invaded their privacy. "Yoonie, I thought he wasn't your type. Weren't you like, always super close to beating the shit out of him?"

"I'm sure he beat him quite well, just not the way everyone assumed." It was this time Jaeyoon's turn to send his co-worker a murderous glare. "If you don't tell me who took the pic, right now, you'll regret it. All of you." Jaeyoon's soft voice was eerily calm, a strong contrast to the way he was gripping the chair's arm rest. He got no answer other than smug smiles. 

Juho felt childish but he didn't know what else to do. Whenever he saw Jaeyoon, he turned on his heels and walked away. Whenever he saw Jaeyoon coming towards the induction room he was assigned to, he pushed one of his colleagues in to take his spot. So yes, Juho knew it was incredibly childish but he wasn't ready to face the older yet. He knew Jaeyoon would try to bring up the fateful night, which neither of them really remembered. He knew that the doctor would try to talk it through and ask where they were standing but Juho didn't know. He was confused and he didn't want to think about it.

Luck wasn't on his side, though. Juho had covered yet another on call duty. He had been forced to take the cardiac emergency pager once again. He didn't even have to guess who he would be working with, Juho knew exactly that fate wouldn't give him a free pass. 

Weeks had passed and people seemed to have forgotten about the incident. The nurse knew better though- a hospital was never low on gossip. Neither of the two had noticed how Juho didn't push Jaeyoon's hands away nor how Jaeyoon didn't push Juho around anymore. They were, of course, the only oblivious ones. 

Juho was lying on the bed in the on call room. It was located closest to the cardiac OR. He was trying to sleep a little because he knew damn well that in about three hours hell would break loose. Apparently, someone else had other plans for him. They had barely finished knocking and already ripped the door open without waiting for Juho's answer. He had shot up, ready to rip his intruder apart but his voice got stuck in his throat. Jaeyoon was standing there, already closing it behind him. "We need to talk, Juho. You can't keep avoiding me." He gently sat next to Juho onto the bed. Juho just wanted to sleep, he really wasn't in the right mind for any conversation right now. Jaeyoon watched him for a few moments, waiting for Juho to say something. When he didn't, Jaeyoon reached for the nurses hand. He laced their fingers and was pleasantly surprised when Juho didn't pull back. 

"Look-" Juho was flustered. "Let's cut the crap. I'm not used to you being so- so-  _ shy _ ." 

Jaeyoon sounded frustrated and Juho couldn't blame him. He still didn't say anything. "Do you know how hard it was to get on the same shift as you? And to bribe your colleagues into giving you the same pager as me?"

At that, Juho perked up. Jaeyoon felt him stiffen slightly. "What? You did  _ what _ , exactly, Jaeyoon?" The disbelief wasn't hard to miss. Before he could explain himself, Juho had pulled his hand away harshly. "Hey no, don't misunderstand-"Jaeyoon was trying to reach for the younger's hand again but Juho snapped at him. "That's fucking creepy, Jaeyoon! How long have you been doing this? Did you plan all of it? To humiliate me? What exactly is your damn goal, Jaeyoon-" Juho had jumped up, furiously gesturing around. With each word he spit out, Jaeyoon's eyes widened more and more. "The hell it wasn't my goal, Juho! Are you even listening to yourself? I'm talking about this shift, the one we are on, right now! Don't you realise, you moron?" Jaeyoon was now standing, too. Although they were the same height, he towered over Juho. The nurse didn't waver one bit. Instead, he stared Jaeyoon back down. "I'm trying to tell you the whole time you made me run after you that I want to-" 

Jaeyoon's rant was cut off as his pager went off. That was the cue for Juho to prepare for an emergency. "This isn't over yet, Juho." 

They had been stuck for the rest of their shift in first aid for burn patients. Jaeyoon silently prepared the standard tools they'd need, as always. A CVC table and a sheath. He was almost done while Juho was still preparing the medications. Jaeyoon watched Juho work his magic and within under five minutes, Juho had filled the syringes, prepared the perfusors, checked the ventilator as well as prepared multiple IV drips. The last thing he placed next to the airway management was a nasogastric tube. Jaeyoon was amazed. He had never noticed how quick the younger was. 

The plus side to this emergency was, that Juho couldn't leave the room whenever he wanted. It had to stay locked, so the warmth and humidity didn't escape the OR. The downside was, that they had to wear sterile gowns the entire time as if the heat and air moisture wasn't terrible enough. They were already sweating a lot under the facial masks and caps they were wearing. 

Juho had prepared a video assisted laryngoscope. "I don't think we will need this, Juho." Jaeyoon pointed out. He had expected a snippy retort but Juho just said "better safe than sorry" while shrugging his shoulders. 

The patient had been flown in with the helicopter. It was a young male in his mid twenties. Apparently, he thought it was a smart move to extinguish a bonfire with two bottles of alcohol. Needless to say, instead of quenching the fire, it exploded into his face. Thirty percent of his body was covered in third and fourth degree burns. Jaeyoon was glad Juho had put the videolaryngoscope close. The emergency doctor had been an intubation inexperienced surgeon, so the patient was brought to them barely being able to breathe. They had been told that his condition had worsened and Juho just sighed. Good thing he had prepared a coniotomy set as well. 

While Juho was exchanging the monitor equipment with their own, Jaeyoon explained him what he wanted for the rapid-sequence induction. 

"Skip the relaxant." Jaeyoon said as Juho had switched the already injected hypnotic to the relaxant. "If you skip the relaxant, you won't have good sight." Even if Juho didn't agree, he put the syringe away and handed Jaeyoon the videolaryngoscope. Juho had been right. He couldn't see anything. The explosion had made the young male suffer an inhalation trauma and had resulted in his epiglottis swelling completely shut. "Or not. Give seventy. And directly the coniotomy set." 

Jaeyoon knew he didn't have to tell Juho but he did, anyway. It was an emergency, after all. Juho injected the medication in a fast pace, calmly handing the coniotomy set to Jaeyoon after wards. Within a few a few seconds, they had intubated the patient through an inferior laryngotomy. 

While the plastic surgeons were already scrubbing off the burned skin, Jaeyoon placed the CVC and sheath. Juho was writing the protocol. It didn't take Jaeyoon all too long to finish his work. Now the two were stuck in the OR for another three hours, at least. Juho was sitting at the ventilator, skimming through the monitor's table. He jotted down the vital parameters and Jaeyoon was standing behind him. He put his gloved hands onto the nurse's shoulders and gently massaged them. Unconsciously, Juho leaned back against Jaeyoon's torso. 

One of the circulating nurses pushed a stool towards Jaeyoon, which he accepted gratefully. He sat on it next to Juho. 

Every ten minutes, Juho got up to switch the empty IV drips. "Hey, look at this." Jaeyoon held his phone toward him. They were sitting next to each other, closely. Juho leaned closer to see the phone's display. "Oh, that's pretty. Is it a coffee shop?" Jaeyoon hummed, scrolling through the website until he found the menue. "Yes. But their breakfast is really tasty." 

Juho nodded in acknowledgement. He had showed Jaeyoon something he had found funny. The doctor snorted in amusement, trying to hold back his laughter as to not disturb the surgeon. He had dropped his hand on Juho's thigh, giving it a soft squeeze. 

The surgery passed with no problems. The anaesthesia team helped the surgeons and nurses wheel the still intubated, ventilated and sedated patient into his room. They were completely drenched in sweat. At least they were allowed to take a shower. 

"Oh my God, Jaeyoon! Cover yourself, why would you-" Juho had covered his eyes in embarrassment upon seeing Jaeyoon take everything but his underwear off. 

"Oh come on, it's not like you haven't seen me half naked before." Juho could practically  _ hear _ the older's mischievous grin.

Jaeyoon couldn't resist Juho's adorable behaviour. The slightly pink cheeks gave him the rest and he quickly pecked the younger's cheek. Juho's hands dropped to his sides at that. His face had turned beet red within seconds. "What I was trying to tell you before the pagers went off was this: Baek Juho, I want to take you out on a date." 

Juho stared at Jaeyoon, not moving a single muscle. He didn't blink. He just stared Jaeyoon down with an unreadable expression. Jaeyoon was starting to get anxious by the way Juho didn't say anything. "Oh thank God, I thought you would never ask."

Jaeyoon felt like a heavy weight had been lifted off his shoulders. This time, it was Juho to close the distance between them. Jaeyoon didn't complain. He thanked the lord that the locker room was empty. Once they broke apart, Juho rested his head on Jaeyoon's shoulder. 

The moment was broken with Jaeyoon deciding to open his mouth and tease Juho again. "But not like this. You smell, let's go take a shower." 

It had earned him a pinch on his collarbone. 

"You're not exactly smelling like roses and tulips, either." Jaeyoon had let out a hearty laugh at that. 

It had been about eight months since they had officially going out. Not that they had told anyone. They still were fighting at work- more to keep the facade up than that they meant what they said. Jaeyoon didn't mind if everyone knew they were dating. Juho on the other hand very well despised the idea of anyone knowing. He hadn't even told his closest friends. At first, Jaeyoon thought that the nurse was embarrassed of him. He soon learned, though, that gossip truly spread faster than wild fire in the hospital. 

They both had vacation. Juho ignored any calls from work, he needed his holiday. Jaeyoon had wrapped a blanket around himself, tapping tiredly into the younger's living room. " _ Juhoooo _ ." He whined, with an adorable pout. Juho was sitting on the couch with his legs up. He was watching a TV show. " _ Jjjjjuuuuu _ ." Jaeyoon repeated, flopping himself next to Juho. He dramatically leaned his head against the nurse's shoulder. Juho gave him a blank look. "What?" 

"Nurture me, please." Jaeyoon looked up into his eyes with the biggest puppy eyes he could muster up. Juho bit back a smile. "I'm sick please take care of me." Jaeyoon kept whining. Juho snorted. "No, I'm off duty." 

Despite his exclamation, he wrapped his arms around the young doctor, pulling Jaeyoon closer to his chest. Juho placed his free hand on Jaeyoon's forehead. It was damp with cold sweat. The doctor was developing a fever. Juho let out a sigh. "Let me make you some tea. Have you taken any medication yet?" 

He attempted to stand up, but Jaeyoon didn't let him. "No, I don't want tea. The only medicine I need is you." Juho just shook his head in second hand embarrassment. "I can't believe you." Jaeyoon just smiled, exposing his dimples while he sniffed back his snot. 

"Yeah, I love you too. Now rest." Juho had put a pillow onto his lap. Jaeyoon didn't wait to be told twice and immediately rested his head on his partner's legs, stretching his long limbs out on the couch. 

**Author's Note:**

> i'm sorry this is pretty...bad..   
> and i think i made juho a really negative person here but ...that's how most nurses feel lately
> 
> feedback is welcome anytime


End file.
